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Ann Donahue
Western Growers, Director, Marketing and Communications

Ann Donahue serves as Director, Marketing and Communications for Western Growers, where she is responsible for external communication efforts and publicizing the Association’s executives, initiatives, and members across all media platforms. Ann spent more than 20 years as an editor and reporter covering entertainment journalism, with bylines at publications including Variety, the L.A. Times, Billboard, […]

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Posts By: Ann Donahue

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WG and Wharf42 Debut Biologicals Accelerator Platform10

Platform10, an international accelerator to promote biologicals development and implementation, was unveiled on Oct. 31 by Western Growers and Wharf42. “Growers are up against mounting pest and disease challenges due to climate change, reduced efficacy, and diminishing availability of traditional pest control tools,” said Peter Wren-Hilton, Founder and CEO of New Zealand-based consultancy…

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Climate Robotics Wins AgSharks® Pitch Competition

Climate Robotics earned a funding offer of $250,000 during the sixth annual AgSharks® Pitch Competition at the Western Growers Annual Meeting KAUAI (Nov. 14, 2023) - Western Growers and S2G Ventures have announced the winner of the 2023 AgSharks® Pitch Competition, with Climate Robotics earning an equity investment offer of  $250,000 from the event's judges. Climate Robotics is a…

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Finalists and Judges Announced for 2023 AgSharks® Pitch Competition

IRVINE, CALIF. (Oct. 16, 2023) - Western Growers and S2G Ventures have announced the three finalists that will compete in the 2023 AgSharks® Competition. AgSharks® is a unique event where startup companies pitch their innovations in front of a live audience of the world’s largest specialty crop producers to win a $250,000 minimum investment. The finalists are: Climate Robotics, a…

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U.S. Specialty Crop Coalition Endorses Legislation Addressing Nutrition, Organics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACTS: Christina Morton, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, [email protected] Ann Donahue, Western Growers, [email protected] Mark Szymanski, National Potato Council, [email protected] Siobhan May, International Fresh Produce Association, [email protected]   WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2023) – The…

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Western Growers Responds to State Water Resources Control Board Draft Report on Bay-Delta Watershed Plan 

IRVINE, CALIF. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Following the release of the draft staff report from the State Water Resources Control Board updating the Sacramento/Delta portion of the Bay-Delta Plan, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued this statement: "California growers can no longer afford to be subjected to short-sighted water policies that are not based in science or economic…

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 Western Growers Mourns the Passing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein 

IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 29, 2023) - Following the passing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: "Senator Feinstein’s public service to California will be remembered fondly by people from every region of the state, from urban to rural. For those striving to protect and strengthen California’s farms and the communities…

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California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement Adopts Western Growers’ Groundbreaking Food Safety Data Sharing Initiative 

IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Members of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) will adopt Western Growers' proprietary GreenLink® data sharing platform to collect and analyze food safety data. This landmark movement towards industry cohesion means that the leafy green industry will advance collective learning by utilizing a standardized data collection approach.…

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U.S. Specialty Crop Coalition Endorses Legislation Addressing Research, Nutrition and Trade

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   MEDIA CONTACTS: Christina Morton, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, [email protected] Ann Donahue, Western Growers, [email protected] Mark Szymanski, National Potato Council, [email protected] WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 14, 2023) – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop…

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WG Future Volunteer Leaders Visit Owyhee Produce in Idaho

Members of Western Growers' Future Volunteer Leaders Class VII visited Idaho and Eastern Oregon last week to expand their knowledge about the best ag practices in neighboring states. Six leaders, including Celeste Alonzo from Junior Enterprises;  Krystal Del Bosque from Del Bosque Farms; Briana Giampaoli from Live Oak Farms; Garrett Nishimori from San Miguel Produce; Byron Talley from Talley…

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WG Supports Sen. Alex Padilla’s Efforts to Improve Access to Federal Agricultural Disaster Relief

Following Tropical Storm Hilary's damage to California specialty crops, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) on Aug. 28 hosted United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials alongside local leaders and growers to announce bipartisan legislation to improve access to federal agriculture disaster programs. The announcement comes ahead of the September 30 deadline for Congress to pass the 2023…

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July/August WGCIT Start-Ups Update

The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology was created to link Western Growers members with innovators in the agtech space. Agrology Agtech startup Agrology participated in the International Fresh Produce Association’s Fresh Field Catalyst Accelerator Immersion Program, a week-long deep dive into California growers. Agrology was one of 12 climate solution companies to join…

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FIRA USA in Salinas Explores the Real World Economics of Agtech

More than 2,000 growers, tech entrepreneurs and students attended the second annual FIRA USA conference in Salinas, Calif. this week, an attendance record for the country’s premiere agtech robotics event. Making the economics of ag robots work was a repeated theme at the event – with VC money hard to come by and growers needing to watch every penny, how can entrepreneurs get enough…

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Western Growers Responds to FDA Announcement of Jim Jones as the Deputy Commissioner for the Human Foods Program

IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 23, 2023) – Following the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement of Jim Jones as the first Deputy Commissioner for the unified Human Foods Program, Western Growers SVP of Science, De Ann Davis, issued the following statement: "Western Growers is pleased to learn that Jim Jones has been appointed as the first Deputy Commissioner for the Human Foods Program by…

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Robots on the Farm: How Farmworkers Have Safer, Better-Paying Jobs Thanks to Tech

Science fiction stories about the future generally go one of two ways: A dystopian hell where robots attack us (“The Terminator”) or a dystopian hell where robots attack us in space (“2001: A Space Odyssey.”) But now it’s time to separate science fiction from fact. As the labor crisis continues in agriculture, with common-sense immigration reform at a standstill and an aging workforce…

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Learn How the Cotton Candy Grape Is Grown on PBS’s “America’s Heartland”

Grapery’s Cotton Candy Grape – the savior of parents everywhere looking to get more nutritious foods into their children’s diets – takes centerstage in an episode of PBS’s “America’s Heartland” that aired last week. The show visits the company’s Shafter, Calif. headquarters and interviews Grapery Founder Jack Pandol and CEO Jim Beagle about how they use the fruit’s diverse…

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Western Growers Calls on U.S. Senate to Pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act in New Video

IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 23, 2022) – Western Growers released a new video today that calls on the U.S. Senate to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to ease the industry’s labor shortage and, in turn, help lower the burden of food prices on consumers. The current broken immigration system fails to provide the workers the ...

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California Pollinator Coalition Offers Resources to Mark National Pollinator Week

With the onset of National Pollinator Week (June 20-26), it’s a good time for farmers and ranchers to know about the latest resources and opportunities for protecting pollinators and beneficial insects. Such projects not only benefit pollinators, but can also help landowners by improving soil health, reducing pest pressure and increasing yields in some crops. ...

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Purchase a Congratulatory Ad Now to Honor John Harris at the Western Growers Annual Meeting

You have until Friday, Oct. 7, 2022 to purchase a congratulatory ad to celebrate 2022 Award of Honor recipient John Harris at the Western Growers Annual Meeting, which will be held Nov. 2-5, 2022 at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to ...

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Western Growers Calls on U.S. Senate to Pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act in New Video

IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 23, 2022) – Western Growers released a new video today that calls on the U.S. Senate to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to ease the industry’s labor shortage and, in turn, help lower the burden of food prices on consumers. The current broken immigration system fails to provide the workers the ...

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California Pollinator Coalition Offers Resources to Mark National Pollinator Week

With the onset of National Pollinator Week (June 20-26), it’s a good time for farmers and ranchers to know about the latest resources and opportunities for protecting pollinators and beneficial insects. Such projects not only benefit pollinators, but can also help landowners by improving soil health, reducing pest pressure and increasing yields in some crops. ...

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